SGTC hosts Kauffman Tire recognition ceremony

Published 12:00 pm Friday, April 1, 2016

AMERICUS — South Georgia Technical College (SGTC) hosted a Kauffman Tire graduate recognition ceremony in the John M. Pope Industrial Technology Center on the Americus campus recently with the Kauffman Tire graduates, their family members, and Kauffman Tire and SGTC officials attending.
Brian Sisson, Kauffman Tire vice president of Human Resources, welcomed the crowd to the graduate recognition ceremony. SGTC automotive technology instructor Brandon Dean thanked Kauffman for its partnership with SGTC and the automotive technology program. He also encouraged them to continue to work hard and use their skills in their careers at Kauffman.
SGTC Vice President of Economic Development Wally Summers also expressed his appreciation to Kauffman Tire for their partnership. “It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of Kauffman,” he said. “I really can’t express how much this company means to us.”
Executive Vice President for Kauffman Tire Tom Money addressed the graduates of the Kauffman Tire-Automotive Chassis and Climate Control Specialist program and congratulated them for completing the program. He also spoke about how Kauffman Tire came to choose SGTC for its partnership, touring about 30 colleges before finding the one that was the right fit for Kauffman.
Following the address by Money, then SGTC Vice President for Academic Affairs John Watford thanked the graduates for choosing South Georgia Tech and then conveyed the rights and privileges associated with earning the technical certificate of credit in the Automotive Chassis and Climate Control Specialist program.
The members of the graduating class included Dustin Bowden of Loganville; Derrick Cook of Albany; Tyler Cooney of Canton; Cody Eddy of Little Road, Florida; Tommy Figueroa of Coleman Village; Kookgune Lee of River Exchange; Ian Mayo of Towne Lake; Mike Moore of Thomasville; Mauricio Ocano of West Cobb; Keith Olliff of Plant City, Florida; Gabriel Rivera of Brandon, Florida; Brent Ruddell of Peachtree Corners; Kyle Vaughn of Clearwater, Florida; Michael Whitaker of Plant City, Florida; and Evan Wolff of Canton.
Kauffman Tire is a family owned and operated retail and wholesale tire distribution company that has been in operation since 1936. Kauffman Tire and South Georgia Tech have partnered together to provide educational training and internships that can lead to great career opportunities with the third generation company.
Kauffman has opened stores in the Cordele and the Albany area and is currently opening additional stores throughout South Georgia, North Florida, and the Eastern United States. The Kauffman Tire retail stores sell tires, but also provide oil changes, preventive or scheduled maintenance, brake replacement, wheel alignments, tire rotations, and other services to keep vehicles in top condition.
Graduates of this technical certificate of credit program become technician interns and are guaranteed an interview with the company for a temporary, part-time or full-time position. Graduates also have the potential to apply for the technical, sales, or management career paths. Students receive hands-on training in Kauffman Tire labs and stores.
To be eligible for the Kauffman Tire internship, students must be at least 18 years of age or older, be a HOPE grant recipient, have a current, valid Georgia driver’s license and acceptable driving record, be enrolled in a Kauffman approved school automotive program, and must possess or pass Tire Industry Association (TIA) Level 200 Certification within 30 days of assignment.
All regular Kauffman interviewing, hiring, and employment standards/protocols apply and potential interns must comply with all other school and program requirements. Kauffman Tire students are also eligible for reimbursement of the costs of attending the South Georgia Technical College Automotive Chassis and Climate Control Specialist program upon successful completion of the program followed by six months of additional continuous Kauffman service.
Kauffman Tire operates over 55 retail stores in Georgia and Florida, and by the end of 2016, that number will increase to 67. Kauffman also has fourteen wholesale distribution centers in seven states and the e-commerce site Tread Depot. Kauffman Tire offers daily delivery to customers out of all wholesale centers, with a fleet of approximately 150 vehicles.
Kauffman Tire is a leader in the industry in retail, wholesale, commercial and E-commerce division. They are looking for individuals with a strong work ethic, positive attitude and entrepreneurial spirit. Kauffman Tire’s expansive business model provides employment opportunities to people of all educational and professional backgrounds with opportunity for career advancement within the company.
The automotive technician positions are responsible for servicing and repairing vehicles. Techs use state-of-the-art diagnostic resources to expertly diagnose vehicle problems, accurately prescribe/estimate correct repair action(s) and promptly deliver the required service.
Compensation depends upon skills and experience. Company benefits include: health, dental, prescription drugs, vision, 401(K) savings plan, life insurance, short term and long term disability insurance and advancement opportunities.
To learn more about the SGTC- Kauffman Tire internship program contact Mike Olsson at molsson@kauffmantire.com or 404-762-4944.To enroll at SGTC, call 229-931-2760 in Americus or 229-271-4051 in Cordele. Students may apply, test, and register as part of SGTC’s one-stop enrollment process. Visit the SGTC website at www.southgatech.edu to learn more.